Omaha daily bee., 1887-12-23
The Holiday Recess.

in approval Of the position taken by
Senator Plumb on Wednesday relative
to the congressional holiday recess.
The custom of taking two weeks out of
the first month Of the session on the
pretense of enabling congressman to
spend the holiday season at their homes,
has nothing to justify it except age. AS
Senator Plumb said, as u matter OF
fact the majority of congressman re-
main in Washington throughout the re-
cess, and some of those who go away do
not go to their homes. But il this were
not so, and every one of them passed the
recess at home, it is privilege they
give themselves that is not just
to the people. 1t is due to the
country that its Legislators when
in session should lose as little time as
possible, and as matter Of example to
all the other servants OF the people
should devote themselves to the work
they have to do with the utmost care,
industry and zeal. They are paid for
this service, and they are faithless to
duty when, having entered upon IT.,
they vote themselves II long period of
idleness, thereby frequently putting off
urgent legislation and unnecessarily
prolonging the first session OF every new
congress.
All that can be said in disapproval Of
this custom on general principles be-
comes intensified by the exist
ing circumstances. There is ur-
gent necessity for legislation rela-
tive to the surplus, SO that the
secretary Of the treasury may be en-
ablcd to give prompt and effective as
sstance to the money market whenever
demand shall come for such assistance.
It should be we'll understood by con-
gressmen that the president and secre-
tary do not regard the treasury ms justi-
fed, while congress is in session, in talk
ing any action under existing laws for
| dispOsing of any part of the surplus.
| The president stated very plainly in his
message that he did not think anything
further could be done by the secretary
of the treasury to lessen the hoard in
the treasury vaults, which is steadily
| growing at the rate Of ten millions
n month, and this should
have prompted congress to
take some action on the subject
before it allowed itself the privilege of
u long season Of idleness. It is no
answer to its failure to do this to say
that there is no present reason for alarm.
The fact is that the enterprise and pros
perity of the country are suffering by
reason of the accommodating hoard in the
treasury. Every business man who
must borrow money is compelled to pay
more for it than he would if sufficient
amount OF this government surplus were
released to ease the money market, and
close and high money is Of necessity a
drawback to every form of enterprise.
II it can not be said there is anything
alarming in this situation, it certainly
is true that it operates to check business
and is an injury to the
whole people. The failure of the
representatives. Of the people to promptly
remedy such state OF affairs is con-
sequently very grave dereliction, for
which there can be no satisfactory
excuse.
The constitution provides that con-
gress shall meet on the first Monday in
December, but authorizes that body to
appoint different day. An effort was
made to do this in the last congress and
it is understood will be renewed at the
present session. 1t is very probable
that so long as congress continues to
meet in December the holiday recess
custom will be observed, for the average
congressman is never likely to have
such an awakening Of conscience as will
enable him to see that throwing away
two weeks of the time for which the pco
pie pay him is u wrong, quito as
unwarrantable in his case as it would be
in that of any other servant Of the peo
pie, and under such circumstances u!
now exist a good deal more harmful
On the senate recess resolution nineteer
senators voted against it, and it is graft
flying to note that tho two Nebrask;
senators were among them.